Piano action



C. SCHULZE PIANO ACTION Dec. 31, 1940.

Filed Aug. 29, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 C. SCHULZE PIANO ACTION Dec. 3l,1940.

Filed Aug. 29, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 31, 1940 UNITEDSTATES PIANO ACTION Carl Schulze, Santa Barbara, Calif.

Application August 29,

13 Claims.

This invention relates to a piano action and while the invention isprimarily an improvement in an upright piano action intendedparticularly for use in spinet pianos, certain features of theinventionmay beemployed in any type of piano action.

In the construction of spinet type pianos, considerable diiiiculty hasbeen experienced in the past in keeping the depth from the front of .thekeyboard to the back of the piano case within reasonable limits.Ordinary upright piano actions are not adapted for use in spinet typepianos under circumstances where it is desirable to have the horizontaldepth of the spinet maintained'below a denite limit.

One of the objects of the present invention is to produce a piano actionof simple construction which is particularly adapted for spinet typepianos and which may be said to be condensed considerably in ahorizontal front-and-rear plane, thereby conserving the space requiredto accommodate the piano action, and enabling the case of the spinet tohave a relatively reduced dimension measured from the front edge of thekeyboard to the back of the case.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the key is provided with adownward extension that actuates the jack that actuates the hammer, andone of the objects of the invention is to provide a new location forthis downward extension which will result in a very compact piano actionand obtain, as it were, an overlapping of the parts in thefront-and-rear plane that heretofore have required considerableclearance between each other.

A further object of the invention is to provide a spinet type pianoaction in which the height of the keys'and the relation of the jacks tothe hammer can be readily adjusted without necessitating the removal ofany parts of the action.

The invention also includes a special adjusting feature for determiningthe relation of the jack to the hammer that is applicable to' types ofpiano action other than spinet types, and as regards this feature of theinvention, my object is to provide a very simple adjustment means thatcan be readily incorporated in an extension of the piano key.

'Further objects of the inventionr will appear 1939; Serial N0. 292,429

Fig. 1 is a vertical section taken through the upper portion of the caseof a spinet type piano and illustrating my piano action in sideelevation, certain parts being broken away. This view shows the parts ofthe action in a state of rest;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the parts of the actionin the relation they have when a key has been struck and held down, andwith the hammer resting against the back-check; and

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but illustrating in practicing theinvention, I provide the key` with a downward extension, and thisextension operates a jack that has an operative connection with thehammer that strikes the string or other vibrator. In the preferredembodiment of the invention, this extension projects from the key at anintermediate point on the key, and this enables the mounting for thejack to be placed forwardly a considerable distance as compared with itslocation in an ordinary upright piano action.

In the other embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings,the downward extension from the key islocated at the inner end of thekey. In either case the jack extends in a general horizontal directiontoward the hammer hub, and the end of fthe jack thrusts against ashoulder to impart the impulse to the hammer. In -the preferredconstruction, as the hammer moves forwardly it operates an` automaticset-off for `fdisengaging the jack from the shoulder.

My invention also includes a construction whereby a very nice adjustmentmay be effected for adjusting the jack with relation to the hammershoulder,` but it should `be understood that -this improvement can beused on any piano action, and is not limited in its use to a condensedtype of action such as is desirable in a spinet type of piano.Thisimprovement, as regards the adjustment, involves the use of a bodyportion and a tongue portion in the extension or part that Carries oroperates the jack, and involves the use of adjusting means forregulating the distance of the tongue from the body portion. Thisadjustment is particularly desirable in a spinet type piano, because itcan be readily reached from the front of the action and without removingany parts of the action.

Another improvement consists in an adjustable stop which I employ,preferably located at the inner end of the key, which enables the keysof the keyboard to be accurately aligned with each other in a horizontalplane. This improvement overcomes the difficulty in old pianos, where itis sometimes found that some of the keys drop down below their properlevel. In my improvement the keys are all held up by springs, to a leveldetermined by their adjustable stops.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and2, I indicates the key, and this key is pivotally mounted on a suitablepivotal support 2 toward the rear and within the frame or case 3 of theinstrument. These pivotal supports are secured alongside of each otheron a horizontal bearing rail 4. The outer end of the key is providedwith the usual felted bushing 5 that receives an upwardly extendingfixed guide pin 6. The key is provided with a downward extension, and inthis embodiment this extension is in the form of a downwardly extendingbar 'I that is disposed in an inclined position with its upper endsecured at a point such as the point 8, located at an intermediate placealong the length of the key. The hammer 9 is mounted to swing on apivotal support I 0 that is located to the rear and below the pivotalsupport 2 for the key I, so that the hammer head I I is located onlyslightly above the level of the keyboard. Between the extension 1 andthe hammer, a jack I2 is provided for imparting the impulse from the keyto the hammer, and in the present instance this jack is pivotallysupported on a pivot pin I3 that is supported on the extension 1.

The outer end of the jack I2 thrusts against a rounding shoulder I4formed on the hub I5 of the hammer, and the pivotal support I6 for thehammer is preferably considerably out of line with the hammer shank I1.In other words, the pivot pin I6 is applied to a back-check lever I8that extends toward the extension 1. The pivotal supports I0 are securedto a horizontal hammer rail I9. Each hammer is preferably provided witha return spring 20 between the hub I5 and the upper face of the rail I9,and when the hammers are at rest, these springs hold the hammer shanksI1 back against the padded rest 2l.

The jack I 2 is preferably provided with resilient means for holding itsouter end down against a pad or rest 22 on the upper side of theback-check lever I8, and the rounded shoulder I4 is preferably formedwith a pad so as to make the action substantially silent.

The resilient means for holding down the end of the jack I2 preferablyconsists of a light spring 23, one end of which thrusts against theforward side of the extension 1, and the other end of which thrustsagainst a shoulder or facing formed on the hub 24 of the jack.

The parts described lend themselves very readily to the operation of aset-off or kick-off to disengage the end of the jack from the shoulderI4 after the impulse has been given to the hammer. For this purpose Iprefer to provide an adjustable set-01T screw or pin 25 that is threadedand passes down through the jack so that its tip lies a short distanceabove the upper face of the back-check lever I8.

The back-check lever I8 is provided with a back-check pad 26 that ispreferably felted; and in the operation of the action, if the key I isheld down, the return of the hammer will be arrested when thisback-check pad 26 strikes against a back-check rest 2'I that is mountedon the extension 1. For this purpose the back-check block 28 may beprovided on the forward and upper face of the extension 1, and a similarblock 29 may be provided for carrying the pivot I3 for the jack.

Each of the keys I of the keyboard is provided with a return spring suchas the spring 30 that normally holds the key in an elevated position. Inorder to enable all of the keys of the keyboard to align in a horizontalplane, I prefer to provide a back stop rail 3l, and I provide each keywith a smallbracket 32 on its upper side, said bracket carrying anadjustable stop screw 33, the forward end of which is provided with apadded head 34 to seat against the stop rail 3I. By adjusting the screws33 of the keys, it will be evident that the position of rest for thekeys' can be nicely adjusted.

In order to provide for effecting an adjustment of the jack I2 withrelation to the hammer hub I5, I prefer to construct the extension 'I sothat it has a body portion Ia and a tongue portion '1b. If the extension'I is formed of wood, I prefer to drill an opening transversely throughthe extension at the point 35 and then form a slot 36 extending in fromthe end of the extension to connect with this drilled hole at 35. Inthis way the tongue 'I'b can be formed so that it is relatively thin andcan readily be sprung away from the body portion 1a, but the resiliencyof the wood will always tend to bring the tongue 'Ib back to a normalposition though it is held out of line. In order to facilitate makingthis adjustment, I provide a capstan screw 31 that is threaded throughthe body portion la, and the tip of this screw rests against the tongue'Ib near the outer end of the tongue. The parts should be designed sothat the jack I2 will be about in the correct position when the tongue'Ib is slightly deflected toward the hammer by the adjusting screw 3l.This will provide for making an adjustment in either direction, eithertoward the hammer or away from it, by slightly unscrewing the capstanscrew.

It will be observed that by reason of the fact that the downwardextension 'I is attached to the key I at an intermediate point, theouter end of the jack I2 can be brought a considerable distance towardthe front so that it actually lies under the rear end of the key. Thisgreatly condenses the combination of parts composing the piano action,and greatly reduces the depth of the case 3 from its front line 38 tothe string 39. Although the weight of this extension and the jack areadded to the key, it will be observed that the pivotal support I3 forthe jack is not far out of line with the pivotal support 2 for the key,so that the weight of the jack is of little consequence; but whateverweight the jack has and the weight of the extension I with the key, itis counterbalanced by the return spring 30.

In Fig. 2 the action is illustrated with the key I in its depressedposition, at which time the back-check pad 26 rests against theback-check pad 21, thereby holding the hammer with its head onlyslightly removed from the string. The instant the finger pressure on thekey ceases, the spring 30 will return the key, and this will rotate thepivotal support I3 for the jack toward the right on a radius extendingfrom the pivotal support 2 to the pivotal support I3. This permits theend of the jack which is preferably slightly rounded as shown, to dropdown back of the shoulder I4, and in a position close to the shoulder,to enable the jack to impart another impulse to the shoulder I4. Thisenables a string to be struck in rapid succession.

A suitable connection is made fromthe' action to the damper. I'hlsmay beaccomplished by utilizing the. lower e'nd of the` extension'l andproviding the same with a damper rod 40 to extend over to operate thedamper (not illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2). A damper, however, isillustrated in Fig. 3, which will now be described in detail. In theembodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 3, the key 4I is mountedon a rocking pin 42 ina common manner employed in piano actions, but inthis instance the downward extension 43 is connected to the forward endof the key. The key 4I is held up by a return spring 44 attached to theupper side of rthe keyboard support 45. The keys 4| are aligned in ahorizontal position by means of an adjusting screw 46 passing through a`bracket 41 extending down fromthe back end of each key, the forward endof the adjusting screw being provided with a padded head 48 to engagethe rear side of the extension 43. In the construction shown in Fig. 3,the hammers such as the hammer 49, are pivotally supported on the ham--mer rail 50 to which the damper levers 5I are end of the extension 43.The mounting of the jack 54 is the same in this construction as in theembodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, but if desired, the back-checkarm 55 of the hammer can be made much shorter, and the backcheck pad 56can be carriedon a light wire arm 51. This back-check pad 56 may be madeof arc-form as shown, to cooperate with a backcheck rest 58 adjustablymounted in the lower end of the extension 43. In other respects theconstruction would be substantially identical with that shown in Figs. 1and 2.

In the operation of the action (referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2)when the key I is depressed, the movement' of the key is impartedthrough the jack I2 to the shoulder I4, thereby giving an impulse to thehammer 9 that drives it forward toward the string 39. At the properpoint in the movement of the hammer, the backcheck arm I8 will engagethe set-off screw 25 and disengage the forward end of the jack from theshoulder I4. The hammer will then travel on by its own momentum vandstrike the string. If the key I is held depressed, the hammer. willrebound and be held by the back-check 26 in about the positionillustrated in Fig. 2. Itl will be evident that the relation of the jackI2 to the hammer can `be readily adjusted by removing the front board ofthe case, which will give access to the adjusting screw 31. It willkalso be evident that the height of the case I can be readily adjustedthrough the agency vof the adjusting screw 33.

Many other embodiments of this invention may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is: f y

1. In an upright piano action, the combination of a hammer, means forsupporting the same to swing on a substantially horizontal axis with thehammers head located above the said axis, a key pivoted above and to therear of the hammer, and having a downward extension extending beyond thepivotal support for the key, a jack in the form of a bar extending in ageneral horizontal direction anad substantially at right angles to thesaid extension, located between-the said extension and the hammer forimparting' by means vof a thrust force acting longitudinally through thejack, an impulse to the hammer, and set-off means for deecting the jackduring the movement of the hammer to discontinue the impulse to thehammer.

' 2. In an upright piano action, the combination ofa hammer, means forsupporting the same to swing on a substantially horizontal axis with thehammers head located above the said axis, a key pivoted above and to therear of the hammer, and yhaving a downward extension, a jack pivotallyconnected with said downward extension and extending in a generalhorizontal direction toward the hammer, said hammer having meanssupporting the adjacent end of the jack and having a shoulder againstwhich the said jack thrusts in imparting an' impulse to the hammer, andset-off means for deflecting the jack during the movement of the hammerto move the same off Y the shoulder anddiscontinue the impulse to thehammer. l

3. vIn an upright `piano action, the combination of ahammer, means forsupporting the same to swing on a substantially horizontal axis with thehammers head located above the said axis, a key pivoted above and to therear of the hammer, and-having a downward extension extending beyondthe' pivotal support for the key, a jack, a pivot bearing support forthe jack carried on the said extension and supporting the jack so thatit extends in a general horizontal direction toward the hammer, saidhammer having a shoulder to take athrust of a force exertedlongitudinally through the jack to impart an impulse to the hammer,set-off means for dei'lecting the jack duringthe movement of the hammerto discontinue the impulse to the hammer, and means for adjusting saidpivot bearing support to adjust the relation of the end of the jack tosaid shoulder. 4. kIn an upright piano action, the combination of ahammer, means for supporting the same to swing on a substantiallyhorizontal axis with the hammers head located above the said axis, a keypivoted above and to the rear of the hammer, and having a downwardextension extending beyond the pivotalsupport for the key, a jack, saiddownward extension having a body portion, and a tongue portion locatedbetween the body portion and said supporting means, for the hammer, apivotal support on the tongue for the jack, said jack lextending fromthe pivotal support toward the hammer, and operatively connected withthe hammer for actuating the same, and adjusting means mounted in thebody portion for adjusting the tongue portion to regulate the positionof the jack withrrespect to the hammer.

5. In an upright piano action, the combination of a hammer, means forsupporting the same boiswing on a substantially horizontal axis with thehammers head located above the said axis, a key pivoted above and to therear of the hammer, and having a downward extension extendingl beyondthe pivotal support for the key, a jack, said downward extensionconstructed of wood and having a body portion and a tongue portionintegral with the body portion and located between the body portion andsaid supporting means for the hammer, a pivotal support on the tonguefor the jack, said jack extending from the pivotal support toward thehammer, said hammer having a shoulder engaged by the end of the jack forimparting the impulse to the hammer for actuating the same, andadjusting means mounted in said body portion and engaging said tongue toadjust the position of the tongue and thereby to regulate the relationof the end of the jack with respect to said shoulder.

6. In an upright piano action, the combination of a hammer, means forsupporting the same to swing on a substantially horizontal axis with thehammers head located above the said axis, a key pivoted above and to therear of the hammer, and having a downward extension extending beyond thepivotal support for the key, a jack, said downward extension constructedof wood and having a body portion and a tongue portion integral with thebody portion and located between the body portion and said supportingmeans for the hammer, a pivotal support on the tongue for the jack, saidjack extending from the pivotal support toward the hammer, said hammerhaving a shoulder engaged by the end of the jack for imparting theimpulse to the hammer for actuating the same, adjusting means mounted onsaid body portion and engaging said tongue to adjust the position of thetongue and thereby to regulate the relation of the end of the jack withrespect to said shoulder, and set-off means for deflecting the jack offof the shoulder during the forward mov-ement of the hammer.

7. In an upright piano action, the combination of a hammer, means forsupporting the same to swing on a substantially horizontal axis with thehammers head located above the said axis, a key pivoted above and to therear of the hammer, and having a downward extension extending beyond thepivotal support for the key, a jack, said downward extension constructedof wood and having a body portion and a tongue portion integral with thebody portion and located between the body portion and said supportingmeans for the hammer, a pivotal support on the tongue for the jack, saidjack extending from the pivotal support toward the hammer, said hammerhaving a shoulder engaged by the end of the jack for imparting theimpulse to the hammer for actuating the same, adjusting means mounted insaid body portion and engaging said tongue to adjust the position of thetongue and thereby to regulate the relation of the end of the jack withrespect to said shoulder, said hammer having a back-check arm; and a'back-check rest support- `ed on said tongue to cooperate with thebackcheck arm.

8. In an upright piano action, the combination of a hammer, means forsupporting the same to swing on a substantially horizontal axis with thehammers head located above the said axis, a key pivoted above and to therear of the hammer, and having a downward extension extending beyond thepivotal support for the key, a jack in the form of a bar extendingbetween the said extension and the hammer for imparting a thrust forceacting longitudinally through the jack to give an impulse to the hammer,set-off means for deecting the jack during the movement of the hammer todiscontinue the impulse to the hammer, a return spring for th'e key, andadjustable stop means for the key to enable the keys of the keyboard tobe adjusted into horizontal alignment with each other.

9. In an upright piano action, the combination of a hammer, means forsupporting the same to swing 'on a substantially horizontal axis withthe hammers head located above the said axis, a key pivoted above and tothe rear of the hammer, and having a downward extension secured to theunderside of the key at an intermediate point on the length of the key,a jack pivotally attached to said downward extension and extendingtoward the hammer for actuating the same, said hammer having anactuating shoulder to receive the thrust of the end of the jack,resilient means for urging the free end of the jack downward, and areturn spring for the hammer.

10. In an upright piano action, the combination of a hammer, means forsupporting the same to swing on a substantially horizontal axis with thehammers head located above the said axis, a key pivoted above and to therear of the hammer and having a downward extension attached to theunderside of the key at an intermediate point on the length of the key,a return spring -for the key engaging the underside of the key forwardof the said downward extension, a jack pivotally supported on thedownward extension, projecting toward the hammer and operativelyconnected with the hammer for actuating the same.

11. In a` piano action, the combination of a hammer, a -jack operativelyconnected with the hammer for actuating the same, a key having a bodyportion and aexible tongue portion, means for pivotally supporting thejack on the tongue portion, and adjusting means mounted on the bodyportion for adjusting the tongue portion to regulate the relation of thejack with respect to the hammer.

12. In an upright piano action, the combination of a hammer, means forsupporting the same to swing on a substantially horizontal axis with thehammers head located above the said axis, a key pivoted above and to therear of the hammer, and having a downward extension, a jack in the formo'f a bar pivotally connected with said downward extension and extendingin a general horizontal direction toward the hammer, said hammer havinga shoulder against which the said jack imparts a thrust force passinglongitudinally through the jack in imparting an impulse to the hammer,and set-off means for deflecting the jack during Athe movement of thehammer to move the same off the shoulder and discontinue the impulse tothe hammer.

13. In an upright piano action, the combination of a hammer, means forsupporting the same to swing on a substantially horizontal axis with thehammers head located above the said axis, a key pivoted above and totherear of the hammer, and having a downward extension secured to the underside of the key at an intermediate point on the length of the key, ajack pivotally attached to said downward extension and extend* ingtoward the hammer for imparting a rthrust force acting longitudinallythrough the same, said hammer having an actuating shoulder to receivethe thrust of the end of the jack, resilient means for urging the freeend of the jack downward against the hammer, and a return spring for thehammer.

CARL SCHULZE.

